1. Problem: Missing Facebook permissions.
2. Problem: You can't find your profile.
When running a sweepstake on Cool Tabs, you may run into some problems that prevent you from using the Instagram Sweepstakes and Facebook Sweepstakes apps. These are usually caused either by our tool being unable to find your profile when trying to connect, or by not having all the Facebook permissions it needs to access it.
Below, we detail what these problems are and how to solve them.
1. Problem: Missing Facebook permissions
One of the most common problems preventing a sweepstake from running is that Cool Tabs hasn't been given all the permissions it needs to access the sweepstake profile and read its information.
Keep in mind that access to an Instagram account's data is done through Facebook. That's why, for Instagram sweepstakes, you also need to link your Facebook account and accept permissions. Once you do, Facebook will let us collect entries from your Instagram sweepstake post.
This problem is easy to spot: you'll see a message like the one below, asking you to accept Facebook permissions, with details on the types of permissions we need and their current status.
To fix the missing permissions, follow these steps:
1. Click the 'Connect' button to manage permissions. A Facebook dialog box will open.
2. Click 'Edit access'. It's important not to click 'Continue as XXXX', or you won't be able to configure the permissions.
3. Select the permissions you're going to give Cool Tabs. Keep in mind that Cool Tabs may not work properly if you turn these off, so we recommend checking all of them. Click 'Deselect all' and then 'Select all' to re-check every option and make sure none is left unchecked; you can always come back to edit them later.
4. Close the dialog box and, now, click the 'Continue as XXX' button.
Your profile will be linked correctly, and you'll be able to continue setting up the sweepstake.
2. Problem: You can't find your profile
If the profile you want to run the sweepstake on doesn't appear, it's almost certainly due to one of the following reasons.
2.1. The profile you're trying to link is personal
A very common issue is that the profile you're trying to run the sweepstake on is a personal one.
The Facebook API doesn't allow sweepstakes on personal profiles. They must be business profiles for Instagram, and fan pages for Facebook.
If your account doesn't appear when you try to link it while creating your sweepstake in Cool Tabs, make sure it's a Business profile.
If you have a personal account, the fix is simple: switch it to business. You can follow the steps in the tutorial how to change a personal Instagram profile into a business profile.
2.2. Your Instagram profile isn't linked to a Facebook fan page
Another requirement the API imposes for running sweepstakes is that your Instagram account must be linked to a Facebook fan page.
If your account doesn't appear when you try to link it while creating your sweepstake in Cool Tabs, check that your Instagram profile is linked to a Facebook Business page.
If your Instagram account isn't linked to Facebook Business, link it by following the steps in the tutorial how to add an Instagram account in Facebook Business.
2.3. Your sweepstake profile is a business account linked to a fan page, but it still doesn't appear
If your profile is a business account linked to a Facebook fan page but still doesn't appear in the list of profiles to select, you'll need to review the Facebook permissions you've granted Cool Tabs.
To do this, click 'I can't find my profile' and then 'Connect' with Facebook. Then review your Facebook permissions by following the steps in point 1 of this tutorial.
3. Other specifications
If you've reviewed your Facebook permissions and still have trouble linking your profile, contact us at help@cool-tabs.com.
4. Related content
How to link a Facebook or Instagram profile to create a sweepstake or monitoring campaign
Why don't all the comments appear in my Instagram sweepstake
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